Naomi Halvorson, of Merrimack, and her daughters, Vivian Halvorson, 7, and Valerie Halvorson, 3, sample some of the ice cream served at the ice cream social and art show held at Reeds Ferry Elementary School on May 22.

Volunteer ice cream servers at the art show and ice cream social held at Reeds Ferry School include, from left, para-educator Kim Gaumont, second-grade teacher Heather Cummings, fourth-grade teacher Janice Torrice and third-grade teacher Kristine Thibault, all of whom were handy with the scoops and the sprinkles.

The enjoyment of eating ice cream is one shared here by Merrimack's Jennifer Szela, left, along with her sons, Lucas Szela, 5, and Ethan Szela, 2, who visited the art show and ice cream social with grandmom Angela Merklinger.

Anna Stover, 13, a seventh-grader at Merrimack Middle School, and her sister, Abby, 8, make quick work of some vanilla ice cream served in the cafeteria at Reeds Ferry Elementary School, site of a fundraiser featuring an ice cream social, art show and book sale hosted by the school's Parent Faculty Association, PFA, on May 22.

Chloe Levesque, 6, a Kindergarten student at Reeds Ferry Elementary School, takes home a book about fish, turtles and other marine life she might encounter when she goes on vacation to the seashore. A book sale, art show and ice cream social attracted scores of families to the May 22 event held at Reeds Ferry School.

Renderings of Indian corn made by first-grade students at Reeds Ferry Elementary School include these stylized examples, executed by budding artists, top row from left, Sarah Safa, Ethan Martin and Jack Maye, who are exhibited here with other students, bottom row from left, Emily Gosselin, Tristan Plumb and Willow Pellerin. The works drew acclaim as the art show and ice cream social progressed at the school on May 22.

tudents at Reeds Ferry Elementary School studied the artistic accomplishments and the lives of famous artists – experts from modern days or long ago – in preparation of the 2014 Art Show and Ice Cream Social, an annual event held this year on May 22.

The event was sponsored by the school’s PFA – Parent and Faculty Association. The art show correlated to various themes studied throughout the year by youngsters in grades one through four. The students’ interpretations of various styles, along with newly acquired knowledge about the use of colors and techniques went far toward the presentation of a high-caliber art show.

Each grade learned about different artists and the styles of some of the more famous. The reproduction of floral motifs was embraced by first-grade students whose encounters with new art materials resulted in works suitable for framing. The students learned to make unique effects by applying a diluted mixture of glue to vibrantly colored tissue paper, then overlapping patches of color to replicate the look of a mosaic.

The second-graders took on a challenge to use an endless range of silhouettes to design artworks depicting autumn-season trees. They learned how to use paint brushes, implements varying from fine to thick in their arrangement of bristles. The students learned they can create different effects by using thick strokes for branches and tree trunks and fine strokes for leaves and stems.

Mia Getchell, 8, a second-grader rendered an abstract of leaves finished in metallic tones. Madison Smith, 7, a first-grader, painted flower gardens with water colors. Ryan Pauli, of fourth grade, sculpted a human figure out of clay. Elsewhere, student impersonators pretended to be famous artists and worked on their specialties as visitors asked questions about the work.

The artist impersonators, all fourth-grade students, dressed as their counterparts and took on the mannerisms of the artists they portrayed. Brady Deliback played Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. Maia Frisella played Mexican portrait painter Frida Kahlo. Riley Habnegger took on the role of cartoonist Walt Disney. Veronica Bolduc became impressionist Claude Monet. Jade Krehel assumed the identity of wood sculptor Louise Nevelson and Eva Page made a realistic Henry Moore, a sculptor renowned for monumental bronze sculptures.

Kimberly Yarlott, principal of Reeds Ferry School, 15 Lyons Road, said the event is a popular one. Every hallway this year was lined with works of art. Books were offered for sale. The library was a brightly lit showroom for sculpture. Books on a wide range of topics were on sale in one wing of the school but ice cream was also a star of the show.

The crowds mostly made sure to stop for ice cream, gallon upon gallon of vanilla served in the school’s cafeteria. Janet Krupp, a parent active in the PFA, said the funds raised by ticket sales for the event support a number of PFA programs.

The enjoyment was apparent among those who love ice cream. The Webster family had emissaries in Mya, 9, a third-grader at Reeds Ferry School, and her brothers, Devin, 12, and Donny, 11, both students at James Mastricola Upper Elementary School. Their sundaes were masterpieces of ice cream and toppings.

Krupp added that around 12 containers weighing 10 pounds each of Richardson’s vanilla ice cream, seven gallons of strawberry topping, a selection of lactose-free Popsicles and other goodies usually bring a return of around $800 to the PFA.

Yarlott agreed the event is a hit with the community. She said the ice cream sundaes are traditionally served by teachers, volunteers who take every care to please their customers. Some desirous of the frosty treats this year chose toppings ranging from chocolate sprinkles to crushed cookie crumbs to added dollops of chilled whipped cream.

“We have four seatings to accommodate all the ice cream lovers,” Yarlott said. “As many as 1,000 people have come in the past to enjoy the ice cream and to see the artwork.”

For more information on the 2014 Art Show and Ice Cream Social at Reeds Ferry Elementary School, call 424-6215.

NOTICE: We use the Facebook commenting system. For more information, read our
Comment Policy